< Back to front page Text size – +

State senator cited in hit-and-run

E-mail|Link|Comments () October 6, 2009 12:18 AM

By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff

State Senator Anthony Galluccio was cited Monday for leaving the scene of an accident after he allegedly collided with a vehicle carrying three people on Sunday afternoon in Cambridge and then fled.

Galluccio, a Cambridge Democrat, collided with the other vehicle at about 5:30 p.m. as he was driving around Garden and Linnaean streets, said officer Frank Pasquarello, spokesman for the Cambridge Police Department.

Additional details of the accident were not immediately known late last night.

Galluccio, a former city councilor and mayor of Cambridge, could not be reached for comment late Monday night.

Pasquarello said police learned Galluccio was behind the wheel after one of the three people in the car that was struck took down the license plate of the state senator's car.

One person from the car was treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries and released. No one else was hurt, Pasquarello said.

Galluccio was questioned by police Monday after an officer called him to tell him police were looking for him.

“He came in on his own,” said Pasquarello, describing Galluccio as "very cooperative.”

Asked if Galluccio was drunk at the time of the accident, Pasquarello said he did not know because the senator was questioned one day after the incident.

This is not the first time Galluccio has faced trouble because of his driving.

In December, 2005, Galluccio caused a four-car accident in Boston and was charged in 2006. A clerk magistrate determined that there was insufficient evidence to charge him with drunken driving, even though he acknowledged having some alcohol that night.

His driving record includes two convictions for driving while under the influence, including in 1984, when he was 17, and again in 1997.

Galluccio, a 42-year-old strength and conditioning coach for Cambridge Rindge and Latin football, beat out three opponents in 2007 for the Cambridge seat left open by Jarrett Barrios.

His rivals did not overtly call Galluccio out for his accidents, but they tried to hurt his chances at victory by raising issues such as character and proper public conduct in the final days of the race. Galluccio, an energetic, garrulous campaigner who championed school and children’s issues, trounced the competition, racking up more than 40 percent of the vote.

A few days before the primary, Galluccio indirectly addressed his driving record in an interview with the Globe.

"I don't think the personal issues of any of the candidates have been a major issue," Galluccio said at the time. "I've been a very high-profile political figure, so I've been subjected to more personal scrutiny than other candidates. That has made me a stronger person and a more resilient public servant."

Globe correspondent Jeannie M. Nuss contributed to this report.